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This file does not have an app associated with it for performing this action

I'm totally shocked that this error is not on forum. May be its too new or people just reinstalle dropbox or something. We have dropbox bussines at company, I have like 120 computers arround the word. We use office 365 with local installed apps (word, excel, etc.) A new bundle of computer arrived so I installing all them from scratch.
I install fresh offce, and fresh dropbox. everything fine. dropbox shows the folders, etc BUT when I open any file INSIDE dropbox filder, for example a Word file, y get "This file does not have an app associated with it for performing this action" which is not a windows error, but dropbox generated. If I copy the file outside dropbox directory its open perfectly without any problem.

Some times I put repair on office install and that fix it, some times need to reinstall dropbox.

The crazy thing is that happen on FRESH install on any computer, just installing office and then dropbox. I tried everything. first instlling dropbox, then office, etc etc.
I'm using latests installers from both.

Any idea how can fix this and not need to reinstal an repair, on a fresh install???

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MarianoBNewlink

Hey! yes, I just tried that and worked.

Its something in dropbox, with linked files. Reinstalling dropbox fix that, some times need to run the repair at office.

What I found is that I need to install Office first, RESTART the computer and then install dropbox.

Some how I gues MS do some chanes that dropbox do not detect and write over them, unless I restart the computer after MS Office install.

But definitelly there is something odd with linked files that some times need to put them local to access them

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Daphne

Hey there @MarianoBNewlink, let's see if we can get to the bottom of this!

Initially, from what you mentioned about being able to open the file if it's copied outside of Dropbox, could the filepath the file is within in the Dropbox folder be very long? To check if this is the case, can you close the desktop app so that it's no longer running and see if you still get the same error?

To close the app, you can do the following:

Click the Dropbox icon in the menu bar/system tray.
Click the profile pic/initials icon in the top right.
Choose "Quit Dropbox".

Let me know how this goes and we can go from there - thanks!

MarianoBNewlink

Well this pas Wenesday I wrote an extensive reply but it doesn't show up what a bad luck.

Anyway. Here is the thing. The long of the folders has nothing to do with it. its ALL files. and after I resintall dropbox start working again, so.

Its really frustrating. This is what I do on new computers:

- Fresh windows 10 install from ISO fro microsoft page.
- Configure the windows as personal use, local user. Rename the computer following company names
- Put the computer inside the AD infra.
- I install dropbox. Configure user. Start syncking ok.
- I install office 365 from MS webpage.
- I try to open ANY office related file from dropbox folder. Will print that there is no APP. The exact error: C:\User\User.Name\Dropbox [Company]\Anyfile.PPT XLSX DOCX, etc: This file does not have an app associated with it for performing this action. Please install app or, if one is already installed creat an association in default apps settings page.
In windows folder, next to the file in question, the column "Type" says the correct Microsoft product to open the file.

If I copy the file out of the Dropbox folder, and I open it, works perfectly.

Some times reinstall dropbox fix it (most of the time) some times I need to run the repair from office after I reinstal dropbox.
Important note: Files are online linked (Smart Sync feature from dropbox).

What gets me confused is that nobody had this problem. Since obiously something is wrong because it fails every single time on every single fresh install with no other program than office an dropbox.

Rich

@MarianoBNewlink wrote:
This file does not have an app associated with it for performing this action. Please install app or, if one is already installed creat an association in default apps settings page.

... which is not a windows error, but dropbox generated ...

That's actually not a Dropbox error message. It's from the operating system. Dropbox isn't even involved when you open a file directly from the Dropbox folder. It's just another folder like any other on your computer.

Just as a test, have you right-clicked the file and selected Open with and selected the appropriate application? Does it work? If so, are you able to select Choose another app from the Open with menu, and they checking the box that says Always use this app?

Здравко

Hi @MarianoBNewlink,

This is in fact new way used to detect proper application. Not only file extension is evaluated, but also part of the file content, as "magic number" or "internal metadata". While your file is inaccessible (online only), such evaluation is impossible. Here is the issue root and your are not the only one affected from this particular issue, only 'symptoms' are different. As workaround set the file you are going to use as 'local' (it will be anyway) and after that open it.

Let's hope someday Dropbox will realize that. Better don't rely on.

MarianoBNewlink

Actually its an erro generated by dropbox somehow. Provably since the file is linked and not real in the disk dropbox is involved on that proces. This fails on linked files that are not downloaded. If I copy the file outside, dropbox need to download it, and is not linked anymore, and works.

Like [Russian nickname that I cannot copy... ] said under this message, if I download the file first will work. But we are on a high volume company that have shared folders of like 10 TB. so, keep all offline is not a real solution.

I found the problem already.

MarianoBNewlink

Hey! yes, I just tried that and worked.

Its something in dropbox, with linked files. Reinstalling dropbox fix that, some times need to run the repair at office.

Rich

@MarianoBNewlink wrote:
Actually its an erro generated by dropbox somehow.

It is not generated by Dropbox. It's generated by Windows. Dropbox has nothing to do with opening files.

Since you've mentioned that the files are marked as Online-only, when you try to open a file Dropbox has to first download the file before it's available on your computer. As Здравко mentioned, the operating system is checking the file's content but the content isn't there yet because Dropbox hasn't downloaded the file yet. That's why Windows is telling you that it doesn't regcognize the file's type.

Здравко's workaround is also correct; mark the file as Local and allow it to sync, then open it. When you're done editing the file, mark it as Online-only again. You would have to do that anyway, even if the file was opening correctly the first time.

MarianoBNewlink

Lol, yes, its has to be with dropbox. Dropbox is not opening the file, but the file for windows is not there. Dropbox linked that file virtually. and when windows does not find the file, or the header of the file to identify the type, will print the error. So its 100% related to how dropbox manage thos linked files, The error is printed from windows, but generated for a fault on linked files of dropbox.

But anyway. I found the solution myself, it has to be about the order of install of programs and restarting, and if the file is too large, will print the error, but you wait until dropbox finish downloading it and will work.